SAGINAW, MI — Mio Campbell has known she will never see Elijah Dillard, the son who died from burns and head and abdominal trauma March 1, again.

Walking out of family court on Wednesday, July 23, she wept at the knowledge that she may never again see his siblings, either.

Saginaw County Probate Judge Faye Harrison terminated Campbell's parental rights to three children, girls ages 11 months, 2 and 8 years old, who have been in foster care since the injuries to their 6-year-old brother Elijah caused his death.

Jason Williams of Indianapolis is the legal father of the now 8-year-old sister of Elijah. Williams, who was available for earlier court proceedings via phone, did not take part in the case during its later phases, resulting in Harrison terminating his rights as well.

Missed opportunity

Assistant Prosecutor Michael Marsh argued, among many things, that Campbell failed to protect her children, citing the extent of injuries suffered by Elijah and suspected abuse of at least two of his siblings.

Barbara Tomcal, attorney for Campbell, painted her client as a victim who was stuck in a bad situation.

"She was unable to stop...she did not have the ability to stop the abuse," Tomcal said. "She had seen him angry. She had been the object of his anger, and unfortunately, Aki Dillard was a very controlling person."

"She could've then raised an issue of what was happening to those kids in that quiet room, which was anything but quiet when a child was screaming," Harrison said.

The judge read a report indicating that because Campbell didn't want to see Dillard whup the children, he took them to the "quiet room" in the back of the home. Campbell has testified that Elijah was beaten over a period of three to four hours the night before he was hospitalized with the injuries that killed him.

"At one point during her discussion with (Saginaw Police Department) Detective (Ryan) Oberle...she said something to the effect of she didn't have any family up here, that he, Mr. Dillard, was all she had," Harrison said.

"No, ma'am," the judge said, now looking squarely at Campbell, "you had these children — all of them. And you were all they had."

Harrison held up two pictures. The first photo showed Elijah wearing a pair of glasses and a navy blue polo-style shirt, similar to a child's school uniform.

"And this was Elijah Dillard on the 26th of February at school," Harrison said.

The second photo showed a child in a hospital bed with tubes and wires attached to his body.

"This is Elijah Dillard on the 27th of February."

Campbell was now wiping tears from her eyes, as she would several times throughout the hearing.

Harrison continued.

"She entirely failed in that responsibility," she said. "And not only on the 26th and 27th of February, she failed to the extent that one of her children has died."

After Harrison finished making her decision, Campbell, audibly crying, was escorted out of the courtroom.

Expecting a child

Campbell, who is expecting her seventh child in September, lost parental rights in 2008 for another daughter, in St. Clair County, Illinois. Before that, she also had voluntarily given custody of another daughter to her parents.

Greenfelder said Campbell can make arrangements for someone to care for the child with whom she is pregnant, since the courts have no jurisdiction over a baby until the baby is born and DHS files a petition to show how the child is in danger.

"If appropriate plans were not already made, the baby would be taken at birth," he said. "My understanding is that she has already made plans for the baby after the birth."

Dillard, 39, is facing a murder charge. Prosecutors allege Elijah died March 1 of head trauma and burns that he suffered Feb. 26 and 27 at the family's home on Saginaw's West Side. Dillard is being held in the Saginaw County Jail without bond.

Campbell, 31, charged with a first-degree child abuse, testified against her husband in an April 9 preliminary examination. She is being held in the jail on a $5 million bond.